Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-11-24


s.aall part of the number that are, at
the same time, under the supervision
of the dispatcher. it will be seen that
travellers are trusting themselves
blindly - an unseen power: The
essential points of a train-dispatcher
are sobriety, strict attention to duty
and brain quick enough to grasp any
problem that may present itself. Dis
patchers work eight hours day and
are paid in the West from 81. 500 to
to $1,000 yearly. according to their
service"
A merchant, who had drawn chair
up to the group, told story of scene
in dispatcher's Office. He SAID: Il
was sitting in the dispatchers' Office OF
the Michigan Central road at Jack
son, Mich. some years ago. chatting
with school friend, who was then a
contractor on the road. Every thing
seemed to be running smoothly. and
the four dispatchers were throwing a
big ball of paper at each others heads.
A warning let up came from one of
them, and the next instant he was
gazing thoughtfully at his train sheet.
He then opened his key and sent an
order. 1t was repeated to him, and
the moment he gave the O. K. and
stuck his pen in the rack. bang! came
the wad of paper. and the fusilade
began again. l remarked to my friend
that these men acted rather kittenish
for men who had so mech response
bility, and he replied: You see they
have strain on their minds. and they
cut up just such didos to relieve it; but
their ears are open, and they hear
every word that comes on the wire. ="
81 know a train-dispatcher story
that will lay you all out" put in a
commercial traveller. Il was sitting
in the Office of the Dixon House in
Newton, Ia, one afternoon away back
in 1873, swapping stories with several
when one of them exclaimed:
Here comes Blonde, the milliner!'
Naturally thinking there was a
pretty woman in the question. we ran
to the window. only to see young
man 60 across the street. carrying q
sample case in each hand. His hair
was as white as snow. There's a
curious case,' said shoe man from
Chicago. He's one of the incest fell
lows in the world. but he's sensitive
about his hair. We called him Blonde
until one day he told me how his mis-
fortune overlook him. He was train
on the Chicago & Alton
road. and had sent an order for a pas
senger train to meet the presidents
special at a certain place and then Or
dered the special by the meeting point.
Both trains had been reported as hav-
ing left their respective stations five
minutes when he picked up his order
book and saw his mistake. There was
no way to stop them. He sat in his
chair paralyzed. as he expressed it.
Fourteen carloads of passengers and
a special of an engine and two cars
loaded with directors of the road with
their friends and ladies were rushing
at each other at the rate of thirty-five
miles an hour, 1t was sure death for at
least half of the passengers, and
total humiliation for the special
train. As he sat there he could see
the trains approach each other, for he
knew every foot of the road; knew ex-
actly where each train was, now
rounding curve, again crossing a
bridge. until in his minds eye he saw
the trains meet in deep cut. He saw
the two engines crash into each other
like leviathans of the rail, telescoping
both trains and piling the wrecked
cars upon each other in an indescrib-
able heap. He heard the shrieks and
groans of the wounded, and saw the
mangled forms of somebody's loved
ones, until the horrible scene became
almost too much for his reason. He
tried to raise from his chair. but could
not. His blood turned hot and cold.
and then he felt prickly sensation at
the roots of his hair. He was struggling
out of his chair to get drink of water
to relieve his faintness, when he heard
his call on the sounder. Mechanically
he opened the circuit and responded.
The operator at the station to which
he sent the order to the special then
informed him that the special had re-
turned on account of not having water
enough to carry them to the next
tank.
Blonde replied: %. T.; hold them
for ORDERS and then tainted away.
when he recovered there were
several conductors and brakcmen
about him who had heard him fall
from his chair. He noticed queer
look on their faces and asked why
they looked at him so strangely. One
of the brakeman took u pocket mirror
and held it before Blonde. He saw
that his hair had turned as white as
snow. He resigned. and never sent
another train order. IN Y EreninQ
Sun.
A Woman Of Genius.